U.S. patent number 8,939,245 [Application Number 13/577,102] was granted by the patent office on 2015-01-27 for system for connecting batteries for an electric vehicle and associated set of batteries.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Renault S.A.S.. The grantee listed for this patent is Xavier Jaffrezic. Invention is credited to Xavier Jaffrezic.
United States Patent |
8,939,245 |
Jaffrezic |
January 27, 2015 |
System for connecting batteries for an electric vehicle and
associated set of batteries
Abstract
A system for connecting a set of batteries configured to supply
at least one electric motor for powering a motor vehicle and
configured to be accommodated inside a compartment provided on the
vehicle. Each battery includes a logic processing unit, a
communication module, and a mechanism for connecting to the motor.
The vehicle includes a logic processing unit connected to a
stationary auxiliary battery, a communication module capable of
communicating with the communication module of each battery, and a
mechanism for locking and blocking the batteries in position.
Inventors: |
Jaffrezic; Xavier (Guyancourt,
FR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jaffrezic; Xavier |
Guyancourt |
N/A |
FR |
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|
Assignee: |
Renault S.A.S.
(Boulogne-Billancourt, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
42829489 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/577,102 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2011 |
PCT
Filed: |
February 04, 2011 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/FR2011/050225 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
August 03, 2012 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2011/104460 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
September 01, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20120298435 A1 |
Nov 29, 2012 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
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|
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Feb 24, 2010 [FR] |
|
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10 51316 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
180/68.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L
50/16 (20190201); H01M 10/425 (20130101); B60L
3/0046 (20130101); B60L 53/80 (20190201); B60K
1/04 (20130101); Y02T 90/14 (20130101); Y02T
10/70 (20130101); Y02T 90/12 (20130101); H01M
2010/4278 (20130101); Y02T 90/16 (20130101); Y02E
60/10 (20130101); B60K 2001/0455 (20130101); H01M
10/48 (20130101); H01M 2220/20 (20130101); Y02T
10/7072 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60K
1/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;180/65.29,68.5
;320/109,112 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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10 2007 032 210 |
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Oct 2008 |
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DE |
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1 372 125 |
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Dec 2003 |
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EP |
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2 880 476 |
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Jul 2006 |
|
FR |
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2008 123543 |
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Oct 2008 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
French Preliminary Search Report issued Oct. 12, 2010, in Patent
Application No. FR 1051316 (with English translation of Category of
Cited Documents). cited by applicant .
International Search Report Issued May 30, 2011 in PCT/FR11/50225
Filed Feb. 4, 2011. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Vanaman; Frank
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt, L.L.P.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A connection system for a battery pack configured to power at
least one electric motor for propelling a motor vehicle and
configured to be accommodated in a compartment provided on the
vehicle; the battery pack including at least one battery, the
battery comprising a logical processing unit, a communication
module, and connection means for connection to the motor; and the
vehicle comprising a logical processing unit connected to a fixed
auxiliary battery, a communication module capable of communicating
with the communication module of the battery, and means for locking
and immobilizing the battery in position; the system comprising
means for locking and closing the compartment; and a first
detection means associated with the vehicle, the first detection
means being configured to detect the state of the means for locking
and closing the compartment and, when the compartment is locked and
closed, the first detection means sends a signal to the
communication module of the vehicle indicating that the compartment
is locked and closed; a second detection means associated with the
battery, the second detection means being configured to detect a
state of the means for locking and immobilizing the battery in
position and, when the battery is locked and immobilized, the
second detection means sends a signal to the communication module
of the battery indicating that the battery is locked and
immobilized, wherein when the communication module of the vehicle
receives the signal from the first detection means indicating that
the compartment is locked and closed, the communication module of
the vehicle sends a signal to the communication module of the
battery indicating that the compartment is locked and closed, and
when the communication module of the battery receives the signal
from the communication module of the vehicle indicating that the
compartment is locked and closed and receives the signal from the
second detection means that the battery is locked and immobilized,
the communication module of the battery activates the connection
means to connect the battery to the motor.
2. The connection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
connection means comprises a mechanical actuating device configured
to connect the battery to the electric motor of the vehicle.
3. The connection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
connection means comprises an electric actuating device capable of
connecting the battery to the electric motor of the vehicle.
4. The connection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
communication modules of the battery and of the vehicle comprise
optical data interchange means.
5. The connection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
communication modules of the battery and of the vehicle comprise
radiowave receiving and transmitting means.
Description
The invention relates to electrically propelled motor vehicles
comprising batteries designed to be accommodated in a compartment
provided on the vehicle.
More particularly, the invention relates to the connection systems
for connecting batteries to the electric motor of a motor
vehicle.
Today, the batteries present in electric vehicles have a relatively
short range. In order to respond to the need of consumers, the
batteries have been modified so as to become removable in order to
be rapidly exchanged when they are flat. The batteries are placed
in a battery pack, then the battery pack is inserted into a
dedicated compartment situated beneath the floor of the vehicle.
The battery pack must therefore be easily accessible so that the
batteries are rapidly replaced when they are discharged, so as to
provide the vehicle user with a longer range. This replacement
operation must be both rapid and perfectly protected.
Attempts have already been made in the prior art to achieve this
objective.
In this respect reference can be made to document FR 2 798 342
which proposes a device allowing the easy and rapid
interchangeability of a battery pack in an electric vehicle. A
battery pack is inserted under the chassis of an electric vehicle,
then immobilized in position by hooks. A smart card is situated on
the battery pack and makes it possible to ascertain the cost of
charging the battery pack. This document does not allow a protected
electric connection to be obtained between the batteries and the
electric motor of a vehicle.
Reference may also be made to document WO 02/04275 which describes
the insertion of a battery into a compartment provided under the
chassis of an electric vehicle and means for locking the battery in
the compartment. When the battery is inserted into the compartment,
its terminals are in contact with electric means of the vehicle
thus making possible an energy interchange between the battery and
the vehicle. The electric contact between the batteries and the
vehicle is created when the battery is inserted into the
compartment. No verification that the battery is immobilized in
position and locked is carried out before the electric connection
of the battery to the electric motor.
The solutions proposed in the prior art do not make it possible to
carry out a perfectly protected battery-replacement operation.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The object of the invention is therefore to alleviate these
drawbacks and to provide a battery-pack connection system that is
rapid, automated and protected, in order to minimize the energy
interchanges between the battery and the vehicle when the battery
is not properly positioned and locked into a dedicated compartment
in the vehicle, and to minimize the risks of short circuiting the
batteries.
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a connection system for
a battery pack designed to power at least one electric motor for
propelling a motor vehicle and designed to be accommodated in a
compartment provided on the vehicle.
Each battery comprises a logical processing unit, a communication
module and connection means for connection to the motor. The
vehicle comprises a logical processing unit connected to a fixed
auxiliary battery, a communication module capable of communicating
with the communication module of each battery and means for locking
and immobilizing the batteries in position. The battery uses its
own energy to provide the communication between the communication
modules. In this manner, no energy interchange takes place between
the batteries and the vehicle until the batteries receive an
authorization signal from the communication module of the
vehicle.
The connection system also comprises means for locking and closing
the compartment and a first detection means associated with the
vehicle. The first detection means is capable of detecting the
state of the means for locking and closing the compartment.
Advantageously, the connection system comprises a second detection
means associated with each of the batteries and/or with the
vehicle. The second detection means is capable of detecting the
state of the means for locking and immobilizing each battery in
position. In this manner, the safety of the connection system is
enhanced by a double check of the means for locking and
immobilizing the batteries in position.
The connection means may comprise a mechanical actuating device
capable of connecting the batteries to the electric motor of the
vehicle. The mechanical device may be of the microactuator
type.
The connection means may comprise an electric actuating device
capable of connecting the batteries to the electric motor of the
vehicle. The electric device may be of the relay type.
Advantageously, the communication modules of the batteries and of
the vehicle may comprise optical data interchange means.
The communication modules of the batteries and of the vehicle may
also comprise radiowave receiving and transmitting means.
According to the second aspect, the invention relates to a battery
pack designed to power at least one electric motor for propelling a
motor vehicle. Each battery comprises a logical processing unit, a
communication module and connection means for connection to the
vehicle.
Advantageously, each battery comprises a detection means for
detecting its locking and its immobilization in position.
The connection means may comprise a mechanical actuating device or
an electric actuating device capable of connecting the batteries to
the electric motor of the vehicle.
The communication modules of the battery pack and of the vehicle
may comprise optical data interchange means or radiowave receiving
and transmitting means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will emerge
on reading the following description, given only as a nonlimiting
example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 represents very schematically a view in section of a vehicle
chassis fitted with a battery pack according to the invention;
FIG. 2 represents a view in section along II-II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 represents another embodiment of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 illustrates schematically the main elements of a system for
connecting batteries to a vehicle according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The chassis 1 of a vehicle shown in FIG. 1 comprises a compartment
2 fixed under the floor 3 of the vehicle. The compartment 2 is
adapted to receive a pack 4 of batteries 5 in order to electrically
connect them to the vehicle with the aid of connection means 6
fixed to the vehicle with the aid of means 7. The connection means
6a correspond to the positive pole and the connection means 6b
correspond to the negative pole. The batteries 5 may, as a
nonlimiting example, be situated in two rows. However, it is
possible to envisage inserting a number of rows of batteries 5 that
is greater than two in the compartment 2, depending on the energy
requirement.
The battery pack 4 is enclosed in the compartment 2 with the aid of
a means 8 for closing the compartment 2.
Each battery 5 comprises terminals 9 and a communication means 10.
The terminals 9 are two in number. One of the terminals 9a
corresponds to the positive pole and the other terminal 9b
corresponds to the negative pole. The connection means 6a and 6b
situated on the vehicle are two in number, so as to be in contact
respectively with the positive pole of each of the batteries 5 and
the negative pole of each of the batteries 5. These connection
means 6a and 6b are then linked to the power supply of the electric
motor of the vehicle (not shown) in order to electrically propel
the latter.
The communication means 10 comprises a communication module
connected to a logical processing unit as will be seen when
studying FIG. 4. The logical processing unit of the communication
means 10 is called "movable" because it is fixed to one of the
removable batteries 5. The batteries 5 use their own energy to
power their communication means 10.
The chassis 1 of the vehicle also comprises a communication means
11 situated in a housing 12 between the compartment 2 and the
bodywork 13 of said vehicle. The communication means 11 is fixed to
a support 14 and comprises a communication module and a logical
processing unit as will be seen when studying FIG. 4. The
communication module of the vehicle is configured so as to
communicate with each communication module situated on each battery
5. The communication module of the communication means 11 is
connected to the logical processing unit that is called "fixed"
because it is situated on the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a
fixed auxiliary battery 17 allowing the communication means 11 to
operate without energy interchange with the batteries 5.
FIG. 2 represents a view in section of the chassis 1 along II-II of
FIG. 1. The batteries 5 are, as a nonlimiting example, six in
number. Each of the batteries 5 comprises two terminals 9a and 9b.
The connection means 6a and 6b situated on the vehicle are contact
bars, so as to be in contact respectively with the positive pole 6a
of the batteries 5 and the negative pole 6b of the batteries 5.
These connection means 6a and 6b are then linked to the power
supply of the electric motor of the vehicle (not shown) in order to
allow the latter to be electrically propelled.
The communication means 10 and 11 may comprise radiowave receiving
and transmitting means (not shown).
This embodiment requires the establishment of a protected and
encrypted protocol so that external waves cannot interfere with the
communication means 10 and 11.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the communication means 10
and 11 may comprise, as an example, optical data interchange means
(not shown). Each battery comprises a window 10 through which
optical means (not shown) can interchange data with lia optical
means situated on the vehicle so that the data interchange can take
place only if the battery 5 is correctly placed in the compartment
2. The data interchange is possible only if the compartment 2
comprises a window 15 and the battery pack 4 also comprises a
window 16. The windows 10, 16, 15 and the lia optical means are on
the same axis, so as to allow the optical data stream to pass. The
communication means 11 are two in number, so as to communication
with the two rows of batteries 5.
Communication between the batteries 5 and the vehicle via optical
data interchange means provides double security of immobilizing the
battery 5 in position because communication is not possible if the
battery 5 is not correctly positioned. Moreover, the presence of
light is easily detected with the aid of optical means. In this
manner, it is easy to detect whether the compartment 2 is properly
closed.
With reference now to FIG. 4, which illustrates as an example the
main elements of a connection system for connecting a battery pack
to a vehicle, the connection system 20 comprises a module 21
associated with each battery 5 and a module 22 associated with the
vehicle.
The module 21 comprises an activation means 23, a movable logical
processing unit 24, a communication module 25, a detection means 26
for detecting whether the battery 5 is locked and immobilized in
position, and an electric connection means 27 for connecting the
battery 5 to the electric motor of the vehicle. The activation
means 23 powers the movable logical processing unit 24 via a
contactor 28 and a power supply 29 for the batteries 5 when the
battery pack 4 is engaged in the compartment 2 illustrated in FIG.
2.
The module 22 comprises a fixed logical processing unit 30, a
communication module 31 and detection means 32 for detecting the
locking and closing of the compartment 2 and the locking of the
battery 5. The communication module 25 is capable of communicating
with the communication module 31.
The battery can be locked, as a nonlimiting example, manually.
However, the locking can be of the electromechanical type. The
state of locking and of immobilization of the battery 5 in position
is verified both by the vehicle and/or by the battery. The state of
closure and of locking of the compartment 2 is verified only by the
vehicle. It would be possible to envisage the state of closure and
of locking of the compartment 2 to be verified also by each of the
batteries 5.
When the battery 5 is outside the vehicle, the connection means 27
is not activated. Thus the risks of handling and of short
circuiting can be prevented. The movable logical processing unit 24
powered by the energy of the battery 5 is also inactive outside the
vehicle so as to prevent unnecessary discharging of the
battery.
When the battery pack 4 is inserted in the compartment 2, the
activation means 23 activates the movable logical processing unit
24 via the contactor 28. The moveable logical processing unit 24
establishes communication between the communication module 25 of
the battery 5 and the communication module 31 of the vehicle. The
communication module 25 makes a request to the communication module
31 to ascertain whether the connection means 27 can be activated.
The request is made in a continuous loop until the authorization to
connect is obtained from the communication module 31. Each of the
communication modules 25 and 31 verifies that the corresponding
battery 5 is correctly locked and immobilized in position in the
compartment 2. The detection means 26 and 32 for detecting the
locking and immobilization of the battery 5 in position send
signals reflecting the locked and positioned state of the battery 5
respectively to the communication modules and 31. The detection
means 32 also makes it possible to verify the locked and closed
state of the compartment 2.
When the communication module 31 receives the signal that the
compartment 2 is locked and closed, it responds positively to the
request sent by the communication module 25. Once the positive
response has been received by the communication module 25, and once
the communication module 25 has also received the signal reflecting
the locked and immobilized state of the battery 5 in position via
the means 26, the communication module 25 activates the connection
means 27. The connection means 27 allows the connection C of the
battery 5 to the electric motor of the vehicle.
The connection means 27 may be of several types. As a nonlimiting
example, the batteries illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are
batteries 5 with exposed terminals 9. In this embodiment, the
terminals 9a and 9b of the batteries 5 are inert and do not
interchange energy. The connection means 27 may, in this case,
consist of a relay for powering up the terminals 9a and 9b and
electrically connecting C the battery 5 to the electric motor of
the vehicle.
However, it can be envisaged to use batteries with active masked
terminals. In this embodiment, the connection means 27 may comprise
a microactuator that is used to actuate the terminals of the
battery so as to make them exposed. The latter embodiment has the
advantage of protecting the terminals of the battery during
handling.
By virtue of the invention that has just been described, the
connection of the battery packs designed to power an electric motor
for propelling a motor vehicle is protected, rapid and
automated.
The invention allows the users of electric vehicles to change their
batteries simply and rapidly so as to have as long a range as with
a heat engine. Each of the batteries and the vehicle are considered
to be standalone system communicating with one another so as to
connect the batteries to the electric motor only when all the
safety parameters have been verified by the vehicle and/or by each
of the batteries. In this manner, the replacement of flat batteries
with charged batteries is totally protected and can be carried out
more rapidly.
* * * * *